Method of driving staples



Jan. l., 1946. D, R, A PLACE 2,392,160

METHOD OF DRIVING STAPLES Filed Sept. 3, 1942 Patented Jan. 1, 1946 iUNITED 'STATE assalto.

M E'rnon or DRIVING STAPLES v Desmond R. La'llace, Pittsburgh, Pa.,assignor to Bocjl Corporation, a corporation of Delaware y ApplicationSeptember 3, 1942, Serial No. 457,166

8 Claims.

This invention pertains to the art of stapling and isacontinuation-impart of my copending Vapplications Serial No. 386,497,filed April 2, 1941 for improvements in kFasteners and method offastening and Serial No. 386,498-, led April 2, 1941 for Staplinghammer. The invention is also related to my copending application SerialNo. 457,165, filed September 3, 19,42 for Method and apparatus forstapling. v

In the iirst of the foregoing applications there is disclosed a staplehaving a top portion which is connected to substantially parallel legportions through relatively small extensions forming connections betweenthe legs and the head. The head and the legs are normally insubstantially a plane so that the fasteners may be arranged in rows inface to face relation. Moreover, the fasteners are shaped'so that therows may be arranged when desired in point to back relation with thehead portions of the staples of one row extending up between the legs ofthe staples of the row above. These staples are designed to be driven byeffecting relative rotation between the head portion and the leg portionof each staple until the head portion is at substantially right anglesto the legs. The head then presents a relatively largev surface to theunderlying material and such staple is intended to replace large headednails or tacks such as those used for securing roofing or sheathingpaper to a wooden structure or such as the tacks used for securingupholstery to a wooden frame. I refer-to such staples as tilt-topstaples. 1

In the second application above referred to, I have disclosed a drivingtool in the form of a hammer for driving staples of this type. In thespecific form of hammer illustrated the staples are delivered one at atime to the-guide of the stapling tool. They are engaged by a driverwhich simultaneously starts to drive the staple 4and rotate the headrelatively to the legs. Be-

fore the staple has been completely driven the rotation of the head hasbeen completed vand in the final operation the head of the staple liesfiat against the surface into which the staple has been driven. In thethird application above referred to the head of the staple is confinedin a plane while the legs are turned relatively to the head. This isaccomplished asa step in the driving operation but the movement of thelegs of course occurs before the points of the legs have penetrated thesurface into which they are to be driven. The said application isspecific to that particular method and to a driving tool foraccomplishing that method. l f

'The present application is directed generically to the method ofkstapling wherein relative rotation is effected between the head and thelegs of the staple to turn the head from the plane of the legs to aplane substantially perpendicular .to the legs. It is directedspecically to the method which comprises rotating or tilting the headrelatively to the legs and more especially to the method ofaccomplishing the turning of the head and the driving of the staple in asingle stroke of the driver.

The invention may be more fully understood byreference to theaccompanying drawing,in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation more or less schematically showing astapling tool with thestaple in place therein in position to bedriven,part of the tool being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a'transverse vertical section through Figure 1, the staple,however, being shown in elevation; Y

Figure 3 is a transverse horizontal section in substantially the planeof line III- III of Figure 1, the top plan elevation of the staple beingshown;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the beginning of thedriving of the staple.;

Figure 5 isa view similar to Figure 2 showing the beginning of thedriving of the staple;

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 5 showing a further step in thedriving of the staple in which the head of the staple has been turned;

Figure 7 is a View similar to Figure 4 but showing the completion of thedriving stroke;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the staple after it has been driven;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 1 in which the staple isillustrated as being formed of wire; and

`V.Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing la step in thedriving of a wire'staple.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 8, inclusive, the staple or fastenerdesignated generally as 2 has substantially parallel legs 3 and adisk-like top 4 which is narrower than the distance between the legs.The top orhead of the staple 4 is connected with legs through lateralextensions 5. The head and the legs, as clearly shown in Figure 2, aresubstantially in a plane.

The driving tool, designated generally as 6, comprises a guide havingparallel side members 1 in'which reciprocates a driver 8. The innerfaces of the guides 1 are provided with' grooves or channels 9 as bestshown in Figures l1 and 3, these channels being deep enough to receivethe-legs pushed down fbyetheidriver.

:iErom .vthexforegoing ;it 'isfapparent that l}ha,ve

Imnemdingf.acrossfbridge 8.5; In,zvonerat1.0.1.1..iv

of the staple and being of a width such that the legs of the staple havea sliding flt therein, th'e channels, however, being so spaced that thehead 4 of the staple is clear of the guides and channels. The two legs'I are connected by a web Ill and the web I is spaced from the channels9 a sufficient distance to allow th'e head to rotate from a, vertical toa horizontal plane, the clearance space infront of the web I0 beingdesignated lil.. i

The driver "8 hasa substantially square end face I2 in the center ofwhich is a rounded def pression I3 which, however, is of less width thanthe over all width of the staple and iwhiqh 9120* videsV a cammingsurface for turning the head of the staple ashereinaftermore:fully-described.

The manner in which the stapleiis fedintothe guide forms no part of thegpresent invention, a

complete machinefor driving the staple being illustrated in my copendingapplication y"Serial *No 13863498. v:It :may:befstatedfhowever,.thatzthe .stapleds -.-.delivered tothe-driving tool Tin ifa planegabove.fthegpiosition.-.in which itisfshownin Figures andt2 .andiis.-rnoveddownfto the positionshown iin Figure 1 fwhererit .Its in-.thechannels "3 1in .the iportions 'I v of theguideI-as a preliminaryfstep.to .thegactual ydriving .f of the .staple -WhenY the stapleisftofloe-.driven,-,downward pressuraomthe tdrivser f8 fis -exerted..,against :the -top :edge of =.t he

head 4 .of i the staple. .Thisf causesythe pcilllsof the staple to startto penetrate theA material ;X

`into liwhichethe staple beingdriven. Atfthe.

:same :timeall ,of ther contact -fbetween the-.staple and the drivertakes place on the inclined for lvroundedfsurf-aoe -fl3. .vf-As.resistance to the/ downward movement :of the .staple increasesthe face:t3 starts tolcam=the ahead 4-atofthefposition shown in Figurefandeventually the .head als l iturnedto the,f.position;shown=;finFigure6. :When A.the head-.of the s staple fhas been.turned Eltcogthe horizontal position the flat part of the drivenat.-aofrthe fstaplematgpointsv .abovet the; top fofiftlie 1.- legsreach'sidefoiythefsurfacerIf31alsoengages therbridge sand continuedfpressure thereupon adr-ives.` the staple all the way down. It will` benotedpthat :thesinwardlyf-oflset portions-'Sand .the decreasedwidtheofS-tl-iel Ihead portion enable the'fheadto v :clear thelg-roovesfinthefguideso thattthisjfpart of thefstaplesfreef.to...tu.rn1.while the-legsthemiselyesfare `confined by 'thegroovesV llzto a fvertical x,theyoservew as .aflg-uid-e efor`.theestaple :.-asfitislbeing provided a method of driving;tilttpfstaplesx in l which; :the-fstaples :havefheadfandale l portions :which -are#initially einfthecsamegplane. VAccording to the method one part of thestaple is'rotated driver .orinother Ways.

In the modification;showin in-Ei'gures:9.-:and .10 1 vthe f methode @issubstantially'qthereame; butgthe :staple-isillustrated:asbeingzformedfpffwire. I -SlnV tthisacase the stamehas.legeportionsf;Issatgtne etopleofvwhich: arev lfinwardly';offset"zslioulders l ,46.

legs I5 are received in the guides of the stapling chute while the headportion I'I, being offset inwardly from the legs, is clear of theseguides. 'Y

clearance space Ill ,is necessary. The staple` Mshown 'jin-Eigurel,however, has la greater holding power when fully driven due to the factthat :anyjorcetendingto lift one edge of the head of the nstapleupwardly away from the surface `Aofthe material X is resisted by theopposite por- :GOn :9i *121.16 head ..0.f 1.1T/1?@ Seple fbe'lng -.dQWn..againstthesurfacepf thesaidrmaterlial X.

.v-vAlsofittis explainedin Amy copending applicar -.tion,. seria1 No.l4571.65,.tnattheibrqad,conception of frny method contemplates ztheturning Qoff the legs .of .the i staple .while 4vholding `the headfstiwell-asturningtheheadgwhilmholding tlie f inafplane.

While I have illustratedgand. described ,certain r.spooio embodimentsofriy inventiopfandoappa- .rotos forooooomplishioeoho'somo it willhiimfoorStood-ihat this .zisfloyww roof. illustrati brood .that-.variouschooses-:ood'modifiooioris omoofooooolotod Within :the es oorzo .of ftheiolloivioe @loi-ms Y ',Ifolaimfasmymveniqnl .-:1. Illia-method@ofesoooliog fwholtolnafoho-fooo1olo ...has head f and les f portions.oloooooooootlwooeh offset -;oonoootions loll .foompsoo .fooofliirig one.of-.Saidenolftiooezio-geologieand; rootlinatho zobhorfi-.neonoroobolltvfihooo ...anaxisauniilfoooportion .foorpooolioulorttottlio .otherland thon 'ne folio etooloHH-til tho fhood oporiionsis; noteeoiooffthowork inboiwliifoh theotaolofis driven 2. .The modoffoiololioe whoroinfihofotosl-os orminarosolonf oodzol f Uitl-@'55Weenrthe1=153g=af01m finepporoion, whloh ;comprioos oonfmoe ono/.of endzrortionseioofolooeooot rotating :olio/other fnTanarofabWt onzoXlSoffeotioflihaltro the head-forming porti n1 until I v substantiallyfporooridio Aorf-@llo :ftlooeotoon sono .thon driving-:the loef f...nllgg :portionootoffthe .workfunti1 othoinood .oolooooatiall.ootioeaioot ,ztheawork Y v:L3-rinato@art.zoffdririneestaplesthavirewiltoble thoasamo dir ootion,the Stops; whloh @comprise oonnos the lossin;@plana-rotating .the head.too .ositionperpendicular hoihoi-loss., and than :df....reptile...taillesfnntiljtheneaqfis ggggamst v:the Work. Y f.

:4;51he5method ofdrivnga. fastonerghaviugia head portion fand;-;a.f.leg,spQrtion .disposedr ccrnfrncm planeiiwbich bomprsesinitiaux/applyeioeseoeoprossuroetoatilo; hood Roltion.I oiithe .fastener.onolfrotolllg head .Qrtionf-.to o plane approxi-mately correo olortoitheeleegoortion l:our-.ineT-:ihondr-1V e.. f.-. the staple; 1 f 5..ho-tmothodfof duri... s--o-iifaotono1h ino f loafoorigon. disposed maafbeadeportl- ...Commonrfp anefwhlohfGO-.Hllre eli-Plym. lies- .headsand nsulostanoially-eporallel logsfpointineain' and rotating the head bysuch pressure to a plane approximately ninety degrees from its originalplane during the operation of driving the staple and before it hasbecome completely driven.

6. The method of driving a fastener having integral head and legportions which comprises initially applying the driving pressure to anedge of the head portion, rotating the head portion to a planeapproximately perpendicular to the leg portion and completing thedriving by pressure in a direction normal to the plane of the head inits last mentioned position.

'7. The method of driving a fastener integrally formed from flat sheetmetal and which has an enlarged head portion and a leg portion, the legand head portions being disposed in a common plane which comprisesrotating the head about a transverse axis relatively to the leg to twistthe metal at the point of juncture between the head and the leg beforethe staple has been completely driven and during the operation ofdriving the same.

8. The method of driving a staple having a head portion and parallel legportions attached to opposite sides of the head portion which comprisessimultaneously driving the staple vertically and with a lateralcomponent of pressure for rotating the head from a plane parallel withthe legs to a plane approximately perpendicular thereto with a singleblow from a driver.

DESMOND R. LA PLACE.

